New iPad Mini goes on sale

The latest version of Apple’s iPad Mini, the first smaller iPad to have Retina display, went on sale Tuesday. It includes a power-efficient A7 chip, along with faster wireless and expanded LTE cellular connectivity. The 16-gigabyte, Wi-Fi-only model is $399; cellular-capable models will start at $529.

The latest version of Apple’s iPad Mini, the first smaller iPad to have Retina display, went on sale Tuesday. It includes a power-efficient A7 chip, along with faster wireless and expanded LTE cellular connectivity. The 16-gigabyte, Wi-Fi-only model is $399; cellular-capable models will start at $529. The new Minis are available through Apple’s online and retail stores, and from AT, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and select retailers.

Wal-mart to open earlier

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday that it will start offering its holiday deals at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving at its stores, two hours earlier than last year. The world’s largest retailer will stagger holiday deals throughout the night and into “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving that’s traditionally the big opening for holiday shopping.

The company also said that it will increase its stock of TVs by 65 percent and double the number of tablet computers for sale that weekend. It’s also bulking up the list of guaranteed popular items that it will sell in designated sections of its store to 21, from three last year.

Hip settlement

Johnson Johnson has tentatively agreed to pay an estimated $4 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits filed by patients who were injured by a flawed all-metal replacement hip the company made, according to two lawyers with knowledge of the plan. The agreement will cover those patients who have already been forced to have the device, known as the Articular Surface Replacement, or ASR, removed and replaced with another artificial hip, said the lawyers.